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New to Digital Design - help!

Hey guys! My name is Ali, and I am new to Designer Digitials.

I am not new to scrapbooking as it's my favorite thing to do. I am new to photography. I love photo's but alway used a normal point and shoot digital camera. My boyfriend bought me a new Canon SLR camera with 3 lenses and a few other things. I have no idea how to work any of it! I would love to get into the photography part of it all.

I have been trying to go through the boards, and I am so over whelmed. Where do I start? Any suggestions?? I'm willing to take courses, challenges etc! I am so excited, but I dont know where do start.

You will need a good graphics editing program to successfully digitally scrapbook. We recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements. It's relatively easy to use, fairly inexpensive (under $100) and there are so many people using PS Elements, that it's easy to get help and find tutorials for it.

Welcome! There are so many places to start and this place just rocks so you oicked a great place to start!

If I were you I would start with a tutorial or two (or in my case 15!). They are by Cassie Jones the resident rockstar tutorial maker. Here's a link to the store. Just click on the picture and it'll take you there.

I have photoshop cs3. I bought a mac book pro, and all the programs, and then I moved and switched schools, and dropped my design minor. Oh how I wish I had it now! So, I have some of the stuff, I just dont know how to use any of it. I'll check out your links. Thank you!

To begin learning how to use your software for scrapping, I recommend doing the "Getting Started" tutorials first. The "Laying It All Out" series is a sort of "make-and-take" format where I walk you through the entire process of creating a complete page and provide all the necessary materials. The "How'd They Do That?" tutorials focus on a specific technique and include some goodies for playing. The "P.S. I Love You" tutorials are for Photoshop users (not Photoshop Elements). There are also a couple of video tutorials that will help you learn actions (in PS) and get the hang of using brushes.

Girl....you are one lucky person!! You have a new set of camera gear, a great computer, software and now you found US!! Your stars are right, child.
Cassie is the BEST. Just follow her instructions and then do it again. Give yourself a year to learn and don't waste time crying when it seems like you are stupid. (I just did this today about how to add a photo to a post...so maybe we should just accept it as part of the deal.)
For your camera you are so lucky cause Katrina just started putting out her tuts on photography and they are great. Just go to the store and get all you want. Too bad we can't buy time there, eh?
But mostly you are in for a very fun ride. Happy to have you here with us.

Hi Ali. I remember that feeling. The one where I cant wait to start, but so afraid to start and that big one that says, "How do I start"!! Looking back on it now, I think that was when I was on top of the world with excitement. Patricia is right. You are one lucky person to have come to DD!